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Vale Brenda Maling

South Sydney lost another of its community leaders with the untimely death of Brenda Maling at Prince of Wales Hospital on June 15. She succumbed to cancer after a long battle. She worked on as the coordinator of the Aboriginal Resource Centre (a job she had held for 12 years) until a couple of weeks before her death reports Barrie McMahon in the South Sydney Herald of July 2008.

Her career of community service spanned 48 years. She started as a child welfare nurse; then night-shift mail-sorter (when her children were young); then some social work study; a cultural development worker for Botany Council; a facilitator for South Sydney Community Aid; and finally the Aboriginal Resource Centre, where she managed, among other things, the funding of sport Sydney-wide.

Brenda is survived by her children (Paula, Keith, Tricia and Belinda), and the rest of us, whom she served. Her work is done. She is greatly missed – now and into the future, and on all fronts. She is not replaceable in any immediate sense of the word. She will be a continuing inspiration to those who seek to follow.

Brenda’s life was celebrated firstly with a funeral service held at St Therese Catholic Church at Mascot on June 20. The building was packed to standing-room only by about 400 mourners. It was a very ecumenical affair. Starting with the immediate family, the gathering encompassed extended family; ex-family; and Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal friends, neighbours and colleagues. The modern Catholic liturgy was supplemented with an even-more-modern silent Power-Point presentation of pictures of Brenda with family and friends, which ran throughout the service; and a more traditional didgeridoo, played as part of the eulogies.

The first eulogy was given by her brother, Tuna’ Vea Vea. He told of her early life in Rockhampton – being born in a segregated labour ward; their home had no bathroom. She moved to Sydney; married ‘Prof’ John Maling; and lived in community at Maroubra (with her in-laws); then at Eastlakes.

Daughter Paula gave the next eulogy. She told of Brenda’s active mothering – like making clothes and cooking cakes and canteen duty. Also that Brenda, in her time, was a pioneer cheer-leader for the Balmain Tigers. The SSCA job was not 9 to 5 – much after-hours ‘home’ work involved helping desperate people.  She thought Brenda was most forgiving of her rebellious teenage years.

The next eulogy was given by  three grandchildren-cousins – Kalkani, Grant and Ashton. They told of the predictable, but welcome, pyjama Christmas presents; her similar consistency in watching them play sport. Then there was her tolerance in letting them watch anything they liked on TV, except for the ‘bogeyman’.

Young neighbour Danny Bruce told of Brenda’s extensive ‘mothering’ in the community when he, and her children, were young. This is probably where the ‘Aunty Bren’ tag came from. Finally ex-son-in-law Sean Choolburra played his didgeridoo.

After the service, the celebrations continued with the burial at Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park, Matraville, and a wake at the Yarra Bay Sailing Club.

Tributes to Brenda are invited from SSH readers, via letters to the editor, for publication in our next edition.

Source: South Sydney Herald July 2008 www.southsydneyherald.com.au